Andy Beshear has a message for Democrats backing away from trans rights: ‘That is not the party that we are’

As some Democrats retreat from defending trans rights ahead of the midterm elections, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he’s not leaving anyone behind.The red-state governor and potential 2028 presidential candidate told CNN he stands by his vetoes of anti-trans bills in the Bluegrass State. “Here's my take: We don't throw anybody under the bus,” Beshear said. “That is not the party that we are. We start as a party of compassion and empathy.”Beshear, a Democrat, governs a state where President Donald Trump won more than 64% of the vote in the 2024 presidential election. His comments came in response to CNN host Jake Tapper citing a wave of Republican attack ads targeting trans rights, including the participation of transgender girls in girls’ sports.Related: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear: Democrats don't have to abandon LGBTQ+ people to win“In addition to that, some of the Democrats in red states and districts have responded in some cases saying trans girls should not participate in girls' sports,” Tapper said.Beshear reiterated his long-standing position that sports governing bodies can address questions of fairness without lawmakers imposing sweeping bans on transgender athletes.“In Kentucky, we already had rules in place with our Kentucky High School Athletic Association that prevented any of the things that you saw ultimately in colleges or the rest,” he said. “In Kentucky, we only had one trans athlete. She was a seventh grader that started a field hockey team in her middle school to make friends.”Related: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear perfectly explains why he vetoed the 'nastiest' anti-trans billBeshear vetoed a bill in 2022 barring transgender girls and women from competing on girls’ and women’s school sports teams. He said politicians should not be overruling sports governing bodies. “I tell you what: if we want to ruin sports, put government in charge of them,” Beshear said.The governor also discussed a separate measure he vetoed in